Spliced joint of spun yarns

Abstract

A structure of a joint of spun yarns formed by lapping the tops of two yarn ends in the untwisted state and jetting a compressed fluid to the lapped portion while keeping the tops of the yarn ends free without securing the tops of the yarn ends. In at least one portion of the joint, fibers of the two yarn ends are integrated to form one yarn having twists of the same or opposite twisting direction as or to the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A joint of a spun yarn, said yarn having an inherent twist direction, comprising: a spliced region formed by overlapping two yarn ends of said spun yarn in opposing directions and jetting a compressed fluid centrally on the region of overlap such that fibers of the two yarn ends are integrated by swirling within the jetted compressed fluid, in a controlled manner, to form one yarn within the spliced region, said spliced region comprising:   a first joint portion, having twists in the same twisting direction as the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn; and   
     
     
       a second joint portion, having twists in a twisting direction opposite to the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn; and having wrapping fibers, formed of loose ends of the two yarn ends, entangled with one another around the spun yarn at adverse ends of the spliced region.   
     
     
       2. A joint of a spun yarn as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a third portion of the spliced region, disposed between said first and said second portions of the spliced region, wherein the two yarn ends are separated and are arranged to be substantially in parallel with each other or loosely twisted together without substantial mutual entanglement of the fibers of one yarn end with the other yarn end.   
     
     
       3. A joint of a spun yarn as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first joint portion of said spliced region has substantially zero extent and said second joint portion has an extent substantially along the entire range of said spliced region. 
     
     
       4. A joint of spun yarn having an inherent twisting direction, formed by substantially untwisting an extent of fibers of the ends of two yarn ends, overlapping said untwisted ends such that the loose untwisted ends of the two yarn ends each overlap with a segment of the other yarn end retaining the inherent twist of the spun yarn, pressing the overlapped yarns together at substantially each boundary between the untwisted extents and the spun yarns retaining the inherent twist, said pressing of the overlapped yarns serving to regulate the adjacent position of the overlapped yarn ends without rigidly holding said ends, and jetting a compressed fluid centrally on the region of overlap between the pressing positions such that fibers of the two yarn ends are integrated by swirling within the jetted compressed fluid to form one yarn having a first joint portion having twists of the same twisting direction as the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn, a second portion having twists in a twisting direction opposite to the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn, and having wrapping fibers, formed of loose ends of each of the two twisted yarn ends, entangled with one another around the spun yarn retaining the apparent twists at either end of the joint. 
     
     
       5. A joint of spun yarn having an inherent twisting direction, formed by substantially untwisting an extent of fibers of the ends of each of two yarn ends, overlapping said untwisted ends such that the loose untwisted extents are substantially parallel and coextensive in opposing directions, pressing each spun yarn adjacent to, but external of the region of overlap, said pressing serving to regulate the positioning of the overlapped spun yarns without rigidly holding said untwisted end extents, and jetting a compressed fluid centrally on the region of overlap such that fibers of the two untwisted yarn ends are integrated by swirling within the jetted compressed fluid to form one yarn having a first joint portion having twists in the same twisting direction as the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn, a second joint portion having twists in a twisting direction opposite to the twisting direction of inherent twists of spun yarn, and having wrapping fibers, formed of loose ends of each of the untwisted yarn ends, untangled with one another around the obverse ends of the joint. 
     
     
       6. A joint of a spun yarn having twists in an inherent twisting direction, formed by substantially untwisting an extent of fibers on the ends of each of two yarn ends, overlapping said yarn ends such that the untwisted extent of each of said yarn ends fully overlaps an extent of the other of said yarn ends containing said inherent twists, without overlapping said regions of said yarn ends retaining said inherent twists, pressing each spun yarn adjacent to, but external of the region of overlap, and jetting a compressed fluid centrally on the region of overlap such that fibers of the two untwisted yarn ends are swirled within the jetted compressed fluid to form one yarn having a first joint portion having fibers of the untwisted yarn end entangled with each other around the yarn end retaining twists in the same twisting direction as the twisting direction of inherent twists of the spun yarn, a second joint portion wherein the fibers of the untwisted yarn end of the other yarn end are integrated with the overlapped yarn end adjacent thereto and twisted in the direction opposite to the inherent twisting direction of the spun yarn, and having wrapping fibers, formed of loose ends of each of the untwisted yarn ends, entangled with one another around the obverse ends of the joint. 
     
     
       7. A joint of spun yarn, said spun yarn having twists in an inherent twist direction, formed by substantially untwisting an extent of fibers on the ends of each of two yarn ends, overlapping said yarn ends such that the untwisted extent of each of said yarn ends fully overlaps an extent of the other of said yarn ends retaining said inherent twists and such that said regions of said yarn ends retaining said inherent twists are also overlapped through an extent, pressing each spun yarn adjacent to, but external of the region of overlap, and jetting a compressed fluid centrally on the region of overlap such that fibers of the two untwisted yarn ends and the overlapped extent of the yarn ends retaining said inherent twists are integrated by swirling within the jetted compressed fluid to form one yarn having a first joint portion wherein one yarn end retaining inherent twists is swirled in the same direction as the twisting direction as the inherent twists while the adjacent untwisted yarn end fibers are entangled with each other and with the spun yarn retaining inherent twists, a second joint portion wherein the overlap extents of each of said yarn ends retaining said inherent twists are twisted about each other, a third joint portion wherein said yarn end retaining inherent twists is swirled in a direction opposite to the inherent twists such that fibers of the adjacent untwisted yarn end are integrated therein, and having wrapping fibers formed of loose ends of each of the untwisted yarn ends, entangled with one another around the obverse ends of the joint. 
     
     
       8. A method of forming a joint in a spun yarn, said spun yarn having an inherent twist direction, comprising the steps of: (a) overlapping two yarn ends of the spun yarn in opposing directions through a splicing device;   (b) cutting the two yarn ends to provide substantially equal overlapped ends passing through said splicing device;   (c) substantially untwisting a terminal length of each of the cut yarn ends;   (d) adjusting the overlap of said yarn ends such that said untwisted terminal lengths are substantially within said splicing device;   (e) pressing the yarn ends external to each end of said yarn splicing device to regulate lateral motion of said yarn ends and untwisted lengths within said splicing device;   (f) swirling a jetted compressed fluid within said splicing device so as to cause said untwisted terminal lengths to interentangle, forming a joint having at least a first joint portion having twists in the same direction as the inherent twists of the spun yarn, a second joint portion having twists in a direction opposite that of the inherent twists of the spun yarn, and having wrapping fibers, formed from loose ends of the untwisted terminal lengths of the spun yarns, entangled with one another around spun yarn regions retaining twists in the inherent twist direction at obverse ends of the joint; and   (g) removing the spun yarn having the joint formed therein from the splicing device upon completion of the swirling of step (f).   
     
     
       9. The method of forming a joint in a spun yarn as claimed in claim 8, wherein the overlap of the untwisted yarn ends of step (c) is adjusted in step (d) such that the pressing of step (e) engages the loose ends of the untwisted terminal lengths of each yarn end. 
     
     
       10. The method of forming a joint in a spun yarn as claimed in claim 8, wherein the overlap of the untwisted yarn ends of step (c) is adjusted in step (d) such that the pressing of step (e) engages only each spun yarn, respectively, leaving the overlapped untwisted terminal lengths free between the two pressing points. 
     
     
       11. The method of forging a joint in a spun yarn is claimed in claim 8, wherein the extent of the untwisted terminal length of each of the yarn ends of step (c) is established to be less than the distance separating the pressing points of step (e), and wherein the overlap of the yarn ends is adjusted in step (d) such that the untwisted terminal length of each yarn end extends from a point substantially centrally located in said splicing device substantially parallel with segments of the other yarn end retaining twists in the inherent twist direction. 
     
     
       12. The method of forming a joint in a spun yarn as claimed in claim 8, wherein the extent of the untwisted terminal lengths of each of the yarn ends of step (c) is established to be less than the distance separating the pressing points of step (e), and wherein the overlap of the yarn ends is adjusted in step (d) such that a segment of each yarn end retaining twists in the inherent twist direction is located centrally within a splicing device and the untwisted terminal lengths of each yarn end extend outwardly therefrom parallel with the other yarn end. 
     
     
       13. The method of forming a joint in a spun yarn as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pressing of the yarn ends of step (e) is established such that twists in the inherent twist direction imparted to the first joint portion by the swirling of the jetted compressed fluid in step (f) are allowed to propagate through the spun yarn from the splicing device through and beyond the pressing point adjacent the first joint portion, and such that twists in the direction opposite to the inherent twist direction imparted to the second joint portion by the swirling of the jetted compressed fluid in step (f) are precluded from propagating through the spun yarn beyond the pressing point adjacent said second joint portion.